Cycle routes & pilgrim journeys in Ireland and Europe …..

Sharing the Roads with Cyclists

There has been a n alarming spike in cycling road deaths in Ireland this year. Whether we cycle in an urban or rural environment it does feel at times as though we are invisible on the road to motorised traffic.

Most of my cycling is done on quiet country roads primarily to avoid sharing busy roads with cars and lorries. It is scary at times when passing motorists barely avoid contact as they do not appreciate just how close they are to the bike. This leaves no room for error and a pothole or a poor surface can cause a bike to go off line and the consequences could be disastrous. So the campaign ‘1.5 metres, Pass with Care’ is a great initiative to build awareness.

We have all heard of the horrific cycling deaths in our cities, where trucks and buses turning left have collided with cyclists who are often difficult to see when stopped at traffic lights. It has become an unfortunate inevitability on our city streets. How can it be avoided?

France is one of the most bike friendly countries in the world and they have introduced a simple effective system that we should copy here.